About 15 years ago, aged in my mid 30s, I found my way to Quest for Life to do a residential course there. I had left a very traumatic childhood, struggling to find some inner peace and trying to work out how to relate well to other people.
Despite my best efforts (including counselling, support groups, spiritual practices, exercise and diet) I felt like there was an invisible wall between me and the rest of the world.
The week at Quest, sitting in a group of women and men who were also coming to terms with major trauma and grief had a huge impact, in terms of breaking down the deep isolation I felt. To hear Petrea, Wendie and the Quest for Life team compassionately encouraging each of us to find our voice, to speak, and in turn be listened to, were incredibly powerful experiences. Implicit in their attitude was that each of us could take forward a “toolkit” and apply it to our own lives. We already had the answers within us!
After attending Quest for Life, I remember meeting a friend back in my home city who commented I looked like a huge weight had been lifted from me: I certainly felt that way. I would encourage anyone else looking for a “lost part” of themselves to visit Quest, and am very grateful that I found a way forward, when it sometimes seemed that might not be possible.
